Part four: Strawberry flavored
[Natsuki]
"You've got this place all messed up."
It had already gotten dark, Natsuki stayed with me all day, we didn't even go to class or the club today.
[Natsuki]
"Come, let's clean up a bit around here, shall we?"
[Kurochi]
"No need, I'll clean it up... Eventually."
I feel Natsuki pull me forcefully by the arm, lifting me from the chair.
[Natsuki]
"Come on, don't be lazy, I know you won't do it alone, here."
Natsuki passes me the broom.
[Natsuki]
"You sweep up this mess while I do the dishes, ok?"
I take the broom.
[Kurochi]
"Okay."
The room is silent, neither has uttered a single word, and the sounds of dishes, water running, and the broom passing over the floor fill the silence.
[Natsuki]
"Oh no, it's quite late, I don't know if the truck is still passing by."
The water stops.
[Kurochi]
"Must you go already, do you want me to walk you to the truck?"
I see Natsuki, she's checking her phone.
[Natsuki]
"Shit, the last truck has already passed, I'll have to go on foot."
[Kurochi]
"How far is it? You could stay tonight and leave tomorrow morning."
[Natsuki]
"S-stay here?"
[Natsuki]
"I-I don't know... Do you want me to stay here tonight?"
[Kurochi]
"I'm not going to send you home alone at this hour, let alone if it's a long way and on foot."
[Natsuki]
"I'd love to, I could use a break from home."
[Kurochi]
"Well... I'll prepare the couch for the meantime."
[Natsuki]
"It's okay, I'll put away the clean dishes."
I went up to my room, took some blankets and a pillow, and went back down to the living room.
Natsuki had already finished with the dishes, this place looked pretty nice.
I put things down on the couch.
[Kurochi]
"Sorry for making you sleep on the sofa, I ran out of clean sheets and I wouldn't make you sleep on my dirty bed either."
[Natsuki]
"No problem, thank you so much for letting me stay here tonight."
[Kurochi]
"Thank you to you for coming, it was nice to see you-"
I feel how suddenly Natsuki hugs me tightly and presses her head against my chest, why does it relax me so much to have her so close?
[Natsuki]
"I missed you so much."
[Natsuki]
"Reading manga at the club isn't the same without you."
[Natsuki]
"I-I mean, you know, you're the only one who accompanies me reading manga."
[Natsuki]
"It's not that I want YOUR company specifically, it's just that-"
I interrupt her.
[Kurochi]
"Ok, ok, it was just enough for you to say that you missed me..."
I caress her back.
[Natsuki]
"Kurochi..."
I lower my gaze and look at her face.
[Kurochi]
"Natsuki?"
[Natsuki]
"Kurochi... I-I..."
[Natsuki]
"Thank you for letting me stay, I don't want to go home..."
[Natsuki]
"Not today..."
I watch as Natsuki closes her eyes and brings her face closer to mine slowly.
Shit... She wants to kiss me, what should I do, should I kiss her?
Fuck it.
[Kurochi]
"N-Natsuki."
I put my trembling hand on her cheek and move towards her to kiss her when I suddenly feel Natsuki's hand on my face.
[Natsuki]
"Kurochi I..."
[Natsuki]
"I'm sorry, I want to."
[Natsuki]
"Sorry, just... It doesn't feel right right right now."
I swallow saliva, fucking hell, I almost kiss her.
[Kurochi]
"I think I should go to bed."
[Kurochi]
"And you too, it's kind of late."
[Natsuki]
"Y-Yes, get some rest, Kurochi."
I kiss his forehead, at least I'll get something out of this.
[Kurochi]
"Sleep well, Natsy."
I walk quickly to my room, close the door and drop onto the bed.
I cover my face, red as a tomato, from embarrassment.
[Kurochi]
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Why did I do that!?"
[Kurochi]
"She's probably mad at me."
[Kurochi]
"Wait... Didn't she say just now that if she wanted to kiss me? Shit, my head's a mess right now."
[Kurochi]
"Agh, I'd better go to sleep at once, I'll see what happens in the morning."
I settle into my bed ready to sleep and slowly fall asleep.
...
[?]
"Kurochi."
[?]
"Ku-ro-chi."
[?]
"KUROCHI!"
I jump awake.
[Kurochi]
"AAHH! WHAT HAPPENED!?"
I turn around and see Natsuki standing next to my bed.
[Natsuki]
"Wake up, it's already late."
[Kurochi]
"What, what time is it?"
I grab my phone.
Shit, it's 12:32.
[Natsuki]
"I made you breakfast."
[Kurochi]
"You didn't have to."
[Natsuki]
"No, I didn't have to make you breakfast so you'd better get your butt out of bed and go downstairs to eat."
I felt a slight pressure in my chest as I saw her serious expression and heard her speak in that tone.
[Kurochi]
"I'm coming."
I get up from the bed and go down to the kitchen, a plate of scrambled eggs with ham is already served on the table.
[Kurochi]
"Huh? Where did the egg and ham come from?"
[Kurochi]
"There were only boxes of cereal left in the cupboard."
[Natsuki]
"I went to buy it, you pay me later."
She looks very serious while talking, is it because I kissed her forehead last night?
Oh, fuck, why the fuck did I do that?
[Kurochi]
"Th-that's okay, thank you, Nats."
[Natsuki]
"Hey, Kurochi-baka."
Kurochi-baka? Sounds familiar for some reason.
[Kurochi]
"Y-Yes?"
At that moment I felt Natsuki's hands on my cheeks.
Our gazes collided
[Natsuki]
"You know what? Fuck it..."
[Natsuki]
"This shit is too cliché and I can't take it anymore."
Natsuki grabs my face even harder and plants a kiss on my mouth.
Holy fucking shit! It tastes like... Strawberries?
Yes... Tastes like strawberries...
Glorious.
[Kurochi]
"Wow."
[Natsuki]
"I-I'm sorry..."
Huh?
[Kurochi]
"N-Natsuki."
[Natsuki]
"I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry."
[Kurochi]
"Natsuki."
[Natsuki]
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
He grabbed her shoulders tightly.
[Kurochi]
"NATSUKI! Listen to me."
[Kurochi]
"You don't have to apologize..."
[Kurochi]
"I-I..."
[Kurochi]
"I wanted to kiss you too."
Natsuki's face turns tomato red.
[Natsuki]
"I-I..."
[Natsuki]
"I'm glad to know."
We are silent for a few seconds.
Neither of us knows what to say right now.
I caress her soft face to almost immediately kiss her once more.
She reciprocates.
[Natsuki]
"Kurochi, I like you."
[Kurochi]
"I feel the same way about you, Natsuki."
[Natsuki]
"I like you, I like you, I like you, I like you!"
Hearing those words come out of her mouth so effusively forms a smile on my mouth, she's so cute and, although sometimes a bit aggressive, I adore every second I spend by her side.
I'm glad Sayori persuaded me to join the literature club.
Wait...
...
SHIT, I HAVE TO GO SEE SAYORI!